


Strength on Display

by TsunamiStarz



Series: Fanfics “on Display” [2]
Category: Hermitcraft RPF
Genre: Alpha Impulse, Alpha Iskall, Alpha Keralis, Alpha Mumbo, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angel Grian, Avian Wels, Demon Tango, Dragon Mumbo, Feline Scar, Human Xisuma, Multi, Omega Grian, Omega Ren, Omega Tango, Omega Wels, Omega Xisuma, omega Scar, werewolf ren
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:48:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 5,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25268620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TsunamiStarz/pseuds/TsunamiStarz
Summary: When Mumbo Jumbo bought his six Omegas, he never anticipated an entire fiasco with old enemies that ended with him switching places with them.In the end, it’s up to his six Omegas, his four other housemates, his two close friends, and two strangers to find and bring his life back to normal before it’s too late.They find out that task is just as hard as it’d seem.
Relationships: Keralis/BDoubleO100, Mumbo Jumbo/GoodTimesWithScar, Mumbo Jumbo/Grian, Mumbo Jumbo/Renthedog, Mumbo Jumbo/TangoTek, Mumbo Jumbo/WelsknightGaming, Mumbo Jumbo/Xisumavoid
Series: Fanfics “on Display” [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1832611
Comments: 59
Kudos: 192





	1. Our Beauty is No Longer on Display, But at What Cost? | Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone and welcome to the second book of the ‘on Display’ series ^.^
> 
> If you’re new here and haven’t read the first book yet, be sure to go read that one first so that this one makes sense! It’s the first part of the series (so you can literally just go to the previous part of the series that this is in..) But if you have read it, then I’m glad you’re here and I hope you all enjoy this book as much as the last!
> 
> (Apologies, it’s pretty short)

**Previously...**

_“We’re going to get you guys out of here. I heard Tango talking earlier. You said that your Alpha was going to start searching for you guys in the construction site, right?”_

_”We’re going to try and get you guys out of here tonight,”_

_”Doc has a machine that allows him to see if an Omega is pregnant...It would take a while, which would provide the perfect distraction,”_

_“Even if you’re not with your Alpha, you run and don’t look back,”_

_“It’s my fault all three of them aren’t here,”_

_“I’m supposed to be their protector, and yet I’ve let three of them slip from my grasp,”_

_“I have to go after them. If I don’t, then what kind of Alpha am I to not try and save my own Omegas?”  
  
“If all else fails, please keep Grian and Wels safe...”_

_”It's the two Omegas that were left in the chain room; they’re gone,”_

_“Go get to safety. I’ll get Xisuma,”_

_”Keep going, Xisuma! Don’t look back! Just keep running!“_

_”Xisuma... where’s Mumbo?”_

  
~~|Back to real time|~~

The drive back to the house was silent, in both cars. Nobody could really think of anything to say. Mumbo was gone. He hadn't picked up any of Iskall’s calls, and Impulse had warned them not to try and re-enter the building for the danger that could still be inside.

  
  


Iskall felt defeated for failing his best friend.

False and Cleo couldn’t believe it.

Impulse and Stress felt incredibly bad for them all.

Ren was in pain, physically and emotionally.

Tango was furious.

Scar was heartbroken, having gotten a taste of being with his Alpha again only to be separated again.

Xisuma... Xisuma felt guilty. Incredibly guilty. He felt responsible for Mumbo’s disappearance. No doubt Doc had gotten to him in some way.

All of them hoped that he was still alive.

And the worst part? How were they going to break the news to Grian and Wels, who were the two who had forged true bonds with Mumbo? 

  
  


Iskall sighed, turning off of the route towards home. He was heading to the hospital for False and Ren, while Impulse was taking the others home. He’d been hesitant to give him the address, and much more hesitant to let him drive Mumbo’s car, but he also knew that the Omegas just needed to get home. Tango had assured him that if Impulse tried anything, he’d go full demon on him, which gave Iskall a bit of a laugh. A much-needed laugh, considering the current situation.   
  


But that laugh was short-lived.

Because he knew that once they all got home, and when the others woke up, they’d have to explain why Mumbo wasn’t there.

And he didn’t think that any of them were ready to do that, because none of them were ready to accept the fact that Mumbo was gone.


	2. All a Dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idk the chapter title made me lowkey wanna add the DTeam as, even at least, background characters to this book.
> 
> So people, tell me not to do it because I know I will because I always do that and it’s always annoying when I look back at it.

Whips, chains, gags, Mumbo had seen it all.

Except, he’d usually seen them being used on Omegas. Not on himself.

He groaned, opening his eyes. Everything hurt, and it’d only been a day. His tail was bound to his leg, and it cramped terribly. Don’t even get him started on his wings. His skin was littered with marks from various torturous items, and he had a pounding headache.

He’d never wanted to die more than he did in that moment. But the thoughts of his precious Omegas kept him alive and sane. They’d endured this for months on end and here he was complaining after a day? He was a Dragon hybrid, one of the last of his kind, and an Alpha. He had to pull through, it wasn’t a question. Nor was giving up an option.

He licked his chapped lips, the cut on his lower lip stinging slightly. He hadn’t gotten water once during his captivity and doubted he’d be given it often. It was just one of those things that typical kidnappers would do.

Doc hadn’t been into his cell room since his previous beating. He shivered at the memory.

_”If you won’t accept the fact that you were always meant to be an Omega, then I’ll beat it into you,”_

Everything Doc lived for disgusted him. It was cruel and straight up revolting. And for what gain? Doc wouldn’t gain anything from this, so why bother?

Then again, Mumbo had stopped trying to figure out Doc’s motives in highschool.

And that fact wouldn’t really help him much either, especially now.

He just wanted to be home. At least his Omegas are safe.

And that’s what he kept telling himself.

Everything will be okay, _my Omegas are safe._

Everything will be okay, _my Omegas are safe._

_Everything will be okay._

_My Omegas are safe._

* * *

~~(Tango’s POV)~~  
  


It was borderline 4 am by the time we pulled up to the comforting sight of _home._ I hopped out of the car as Impulse figured out how to turn it off, Xisuma, Stress, and Scar following. I held the house key in my hand, my hand shaking as I approached the door. Slotting the key in and unlocking it, I quietly pushed inside, not knowing if anyone was still awake or not.

My question was answered as I saw Aria, and... I think Keralis and BDubs? They were all asleep in a pile on the couch. The three of us all filed up the stairs, stopping in the hallway. Impulse and Stress came up soon after.   
  


“Stress could probably stay in the Beta’s room tonight, but I have no idea where Impulse could sleep,” I said quietly. Impulse pointed directly behind me down the hall.

”That bedroom is taken?”

We all turn to see the door he’s pointing at. It’s Mumbo’s bedroom. I growled, and even Xisuma’s scent spiked with protectiveness.

”That’s Mumbo’s bedroom,” Scar added softly. Impulse’s face paled. “O-oh... uh... I’ll just stay out on the front porch until Iskall and the others get home then, and I’ll keep watch to make sure we weren’t followed. All of you... get some sleep. It’s been a... it’s been a crazy day...” Impulse’s scent gradually changed, instinctively calming us all. We nodded, and Scar went downstairs to show Stress the Betas’ room before climbing up the stairs back to us. We all stood in the hall for a moment silently, before all coming into a hug. Scar’s form shook as quiet sobs wracked his body. I patted him gently, wrapping my wings around both of them.

When we parted, an exhausted yawn broke from both myself and Xisuma, and I went directly towards my bedroom. I turned to look back into the hall as I reached to close my door, and the last thing I noticed was Scar disappearing into Mumbo’s room before the door shut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please, just, like, scream at me not to add any people outside HermitCraft to this fic-
> 
> aLSO IM SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY, SCHOOL IS A BRUH MOMENT-


	3. Wake Me Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grian wakes up to strange scents in the hallway, many more people in the house than when he went to sleep, and so many winces that he was convinced it was the Wincing World Championship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m gonna try and get updates out more often. I managed to do daily updates for the first book for a while with no issue (and the chapters weren’t even prewritten- I literally sat and just wrote-) so I want to be able to get at least weekly updates down. But online school is a bit of an ass and my free time barely exists anymore but I’m trying my best.

~~(Grian’s POV)~~

Sunlight broke through the window curtains as my eyes fluttered open, welcoming me to the morning. I smiled softly, rolling onto my belly to stretch out my wings—the bedroom was, in fact, large enough for me to be able to stretch my wings out to their full length—before snuggling back into my blanket nest, which still had Mumbo’s scent lingering on it.

I reached up to the mating gland on my neck where his mark was, trailing my fingers over it, and shivering slightly at the memory.

I tucked my wings in before deciding I should probably get up at the loud growl my stomach elicited. I could smell some form of breakfast—French toast or pancakes, perhaps—coming from downstairs, and was eager to eat.

I hopped up, not caring about the way my hair looked, throwing my jumper and some pants on before opening my bedroom door.

Immediately, I was hit with multiple new and familiar scents in the hallway. Every bedroom door in the hallway was closed.

_Hadn’t Xisuma’s door been left open from when he...._

I shook the thought away, not wanting to dwell on the past.

But the scents smelled awfully similar to Tango, Scar, _and_ Xisuma.   
  


There was also two brand new scents accompanying them. An Alpha and an Omega, from what I could gather from the stale air.

Shrugging it off, I made my way downstairs, hearing sizzling coming from the kitchen. I noticed Aria was in the kitchen, but there was also two strangers in the kitchen.

_Wait why are there two strangers in the kitchen?!  
_

I opened my mouth to ask but-

“Good morning, Grian!” I turned towards the living room, and saw “BDubs!”

The Omega had a cheery look on his face, but Keralis—who was behind him—was obviously masking something with a smile.

I ran over and collided with BDubs in a hug, enveloping him with my wings.

He gave a quick, short, audible sniff, before gasping.

”You were claimed?”

I reached up and pet the mating mark again, nodding shyly. “Yeah, my heat came this week, a-and... well, Mumbo helped...”

  
BDubs smiled even brighter at this, but Keralis visibly winced at the mention of my Alpha. I wanted to question him, but I was interrupted by the sound of opening doors upstairs, and loud exclamations and cries. Feathers fluffing up fully, I bolted upstairs, BDubs and Keralis in tow, only to find Wels enveloping Ren, Tango, and-

“Xisuma!? Scar!?” I jumped forward and joined Wels in covering them with my wings in a large and tight hug. Scar was purring very loudly, and the scent of joy and tears slowly rose in intensity. I smelled Wels’ joy scent spike, and I could only imagine mine was doing the same.

”Wh- how?” I asked, after we all pulled away from the strong hug.

I saw all of them—minus Wels—wince.

_What is with all the wincing today?_

”W-Well... Xisuma was captured by the same men that took me. Last night, Tango and the others sought out and found us, breaking us out and rescuing us. It was dangerous,” Scar gestured to the large wrap of bandages around Ren’s thigh, swaying his tail. “But they managed,”

I smiled again, hard enough that it began to hurt, and brought Scar and Xisuma into a hug again.

”I’m so happy you’re home. I was so worried,”

”I’m glad you’re safe. I didn’t want anyone else to get captured,” Scar returned the hug, Xisuma doing the same though staying silent.

A voice called from downstairs. “Breakfast is ready!”

We all migrated downstairs, filing into chairs around the large dining table.

Everyone was there; Iskall, False (I noticed she had bandages wrapped around her torso), Cleo, Aria, Keralis, BDubs, Tango, Scar, Xisuma, Wels, Ren, even two people I’d never met.

But one person in particular was missing.

”Hey, is Mumby still asleep?”

There were multiple winces— _more wincing_ —and sharp intakes of breath.

Everyone quickly recovered though, equipping smiles so quickly despite their scents not changing one bit.

I noticed a similarly confused look on Wels, and we exchanged glances before Iskall cleared his throat.

”Uh, Mumbo actually woke up pretty early this morning. He was, um, he was called in to a last minute business meeting, and he might not be home for another week or so,” He said, quickly stuffing his mouth with an absurdly large bite of pancake.

”Oh...” I felt myself subconsciously deflate, and I could even smell Wels’ disappointed scent.

The one thing I didn’t understand was why everyone else’s scents were, dare I say, relieved.

Why in the world would they be relieved that Mumbo was at a business meeting, and wouldn’t be coming home for another week?


	4. Let Me Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s all I want, let me sleep.  
> It’s all I need, let me sleep.
> 
> Don’t whip me awake, let me sleep.  
> Don’t rattle my chains, let me sleep.
> 
> You will not break me, let me sleep.  
> For the love of God, let me sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mentions of torture, you know the drill.

It was the next day.

Or maybe it was the next week.

Perhaps the next month?

Mumbo had no idea. Time was so hard to keep track of. Every hour dragged out into years, making hours—minutes—so torturously slow.

Doc woke him every hour on the spot with something new to try on him; a reinforced whip, a chain at melting point, hell, even knifes.

He was losing so much blood. Everything happened too fast. He was exhausted, ready to give up, but he couldn’t.

He had to remain strong. For his Omegas. He had to protect them.

But with every passing minute, every ounce of blood that wept from cuts and burns, he got closer to giving up.   
  


Living was such a burden. If Mumbo just gave in and died, he would be released from his hell.

But he couldn’t leave his Omegas.

And he’d be damned if he gave Doc the satisfaction of winning.

Mumbo was a dragon hybrid; the most headstrong and fierce of them all. Dragons never gave up, and always moved forward to persevere. He refused to be a disgrace to his kind, being one of the last dragons in the world.

But it was so hard. He would finally be able to rest, only to get beaten more.

And he couldn’t do anything about it.

* * *

Two weeks, he learned.

Two weeks since his capture.

Two weeks without his Omegas.

And two weeks of complete torture.

Two weeks of blood loss.

Two weeks of getting closer to death.

  
Two weeks of refusing to let himself give up.

His body was constantly aching, wounds never having the time to heal up before getting busted open again. He got fed and watered, but much below the bare minimum to be healthy. Mumbo didn’t know how he was still alive. He was filthy. He hadn’t bathed since before the rescue mission for his Omegas. He was thin, way too thin to be considered healthy. Much too thin to be even considered alive.

He did manage to slip his tail from the cuff that kept it bound to his leg, which was a plus.

Every so often, he would have a go at trying to pick the locks on his cuffs with the tip of his pointed tail, but every time he got any headway, Doc would walk in.

Mumbo had also learned that Doc was a reptilian hybrid, another extremely rare hybrid that, funny enough, were the main rival species to dragons.

The equally headstrong, and extremely territorial, species would often attack dragons on sight, no matter the second gender. The same thing goes for the other way around.

Footsteps set into his focus and Mumbo braced himself for the clock to tick onto the next hour.

"Why hello, gorgeous,"

Mumbo sent the reptilian a seething glare. He got a smirk in return.

"What, I give you a compliment and you reply with hostility?"

Mumbo only held his glare. Doc stepped up to him. "Cat's got your tongue, dragon?" They held each other's gazes, Mumbo's fury building up for the first time in two weeks. Whilst his hatred towards Doc had never faltered, he hadn't felt a build-up in emotion since the day he was captured when he dove back into the lion's den for Xisuma. Mumbo would be spitting furious words at Doc, had his throat not felt so achingly dry.

So, he went with the literal option. Mumbo spat in Doc's face.

The look of pure disheveled-ness and disgust that Doc equipped was enough to nearly make Mumbo laugh, but the scowl that followed made him realize that he probably just signed himself a one-way contract to drinking his own urine for hydration.

But was it worth it?

Yes. Absolutely. One-hundred percent.

Because as stupid as it may have been in that moment, it was a blatant sign to Doc that Mumbo was far from giving in to the reptilian's plans, whatever they may be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Great news, this book will be getting weekly updates every Saturday of October as a part of my own little 'Update October'.


	5. I Lay Awake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I miss you, I lay awake.  
> I love you, I lay awake.
> 
> You’re not here, I lay awake.  
> Why’d you leave? I lay awake.
> 
> When will you come home? I lay awake.  
> Do you not love us? I lay awake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eh just a bit of a opposite POV from last chapter. Also this is a day late. But I was tired. So I get to update two books today, lets go.

Two weeks, he thought.

Two weeks since Mumbo’s capture.

And two weeks of lying to Grian and Wels.

It was only a matter of time before they find out, and it panicked Iskall. He wished he would’ve told them the truth, he really did. But he was so scared. He didn’t want to stress out the only remaining two people that weren’t in a constant state of fear in this house, he didn’t. But now, he realizes that having kept it a secret this long will only stress them out more. A pit of guilt was bubbling in his gut. He wanted to tell them. But he couldn’t bring himself to. They were both so happy; they brought light into the house, they brought warmth to their hearts.

Impulse and Stress had basically become part of the family, with Stress easily fitting in to the Beta’s little pact, and Impulse bringing one more source of emotional stability to the Omegas via his Alpha pheromones. They both, too, felt partially responsible for Mumbo’s capture. Stress had moved in to the girl’s room, and they all had a blast with makeovers and other girl things. Impulse didn’t live in the house, but he might as well have been. He was there every day. But he also had a mate that lived in a separate home. Impulse would bring him most of the time, but he knew the house just didn’t have enough space for all of them.

Keralis and BDubs were at the house a lot as well, adding to the distraction to keep Grian and Wels happy.

Each of the Omegas had trickled, one by one, into Mumbo’s bedroom every night until they all ended up dog-piling on the captured Alpha’s king-sized bed to sleep. Despite not knowing the truth on why Mumbo wasn’t home, Grian and Wels still missed their Alpha as much as the others. They all found it as a comforting safe place, a room filled with the scent of Mumbo.

But the scent was growing staler by the day. And it was growing harder to find new ways to let off suspicions.

* * *

Grian sighed softly, listening to the slow breathing of his fellow Omegas as they rested around him. He and Wels were cuddled together in the middle of the bed, with Tango and Xisuma on either side of them. Scar and Ren were splayed out on top of all of them. But it wasn’t uncomfortable. It felt nice. It felt _safe._ But there was still an ache that couldn’t be denied. Grian buried his face into the pillow his head rested on. Mumbo’s scent... it was there, but it was stale, and getting staler as their own scents covered it up.

He understood that Mumbo was visiting his family that lived in the rough area around where his business meetings had been taking place. After all, if Grian had the opportunity to see his family again, he’d take it, but he couldn’t drown the selfishness in his heart. He just wanted his Alpha. He wanted to be held tenderly, having sweet words whispered in his ears, the gentle touch of fingers on his wings. He missed that. He missed Mumbo.  
  


But Mumbo wasn’t there.

And all Grian could do was sit there and wait for his Alpha to come home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry, it’s short. But it’s late and I’m super tired-


	6. Location Deprivation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Come on, beautiful. It’s time to go on a little adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s short, I’m sorry. But important note at the end.
> 
> Not beta read, we die like people still awake at 2 am.

Mumbo had, in fact, signed himself to drinking his own urine as a source of staying hydrated after spitting in Doc’s face. He now constantly felt sick, dreading eating as eating made him thirsty, and thirst then translated in drinking his own urine; that is, if he even had any.

Due to severe lack of intake of water, he was urinating much less. So it was just an ongoing cycle of torture.

He did, however, get his longest period of sleep since he was in his own house, a record-breaking five hours of sleep. When he was awoken the next day, he wanted to feel happy—he really did—but he couldn’t. Despite having five hours in a row, the exhaustion was still too heavy. He couldn’t handle it. More than anything, he wanted to fall back asleep.

But Doc’s scent caused him to go into hyperfocus mode. Mumbo’s eyes scanned the room, moments before the door busted open and in strolled the reptilian hybrid, looking smug as ever. His white labcoat trailed in behind him, and his newly gained reptilian tail flicked.

Apparently the pleasure of torturing Mumbo was strong enough to send Doc into his own hybrid transformation. How it hadn’t happened prior to this, Mumbo didn’t know. But either way, it made him burn with anger. He’d managed to keep his clothes—or the remains of them, anyway—on his body, luckily, but that honestly didn’t mean much at this point.

“Good morning, beautiful,” Doc said this every morning. It only roused the furious dragon within him more and more. He had to train his own black-scaled tail not to thrash every time he saw Doc; the green reptilian still hadn’t noticed the lack of bondage on his tail, and Mumbo didn’t intend to give that away; he was so close to unlocking some of the other cuffs that bound his other body parts.

“I have some very exciting news,”

Mumbo didn't even bat an eye at this. It was most likely just a new torture device that would inevitably get used on him. But the interesting part was that when Doc reached into his bag, he pulled out a keyring rather than a whip or a knife. One by one, Doc unlocked Mumbo’s cuffs. It disgusted the dragon how cocky Doc was to be unlocking him without any form of protection; the lizard was so confident that Mumbo couldn’t do anything to him that he wasn’t even trying to protect himself. The thought of being considered weak disgusted Mumbo to the fullest extent. But the more he thought about it, the more Mumbo remembered that Doc had always considered Mumbo a miscategorized Omega, so maybe that just played into the current situation. 

“I have something very special planned for today,” Doc continued. “I’ve been receiving word that the police have been out hunting for us lately,”

The cuffs let go of his tired and beaten limbs, and Mumbo fell to the floor before picking himself up to stand with misbehaving balance. He looked Doc straight in the eyes, being met the same smirk, but wider this time.

“So, Mumbo,”

“How would you feel about a little... relocation?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this past week was a bit busy for me and I wasn’t able to get all the updates out. So Mondays have been x’d out as either days I won’t update at all, or days that I will catch up for overdue fix updates. Or maybe I’ll update this fic on Monday’s too, idk.


	7. Turntables

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One single bite has the power to flatten entire societies. So why not use it now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp.
> 
> I’ve been improving my writing lately with fun side projects, so I attempted to make this chapter longer and more detailed than usual.
> 
> Also, Beauty on Display has 10th highest hit number out of all 2,000+ stories under the HermitCraft tag! That just blows my mind; y’all are amazing. Soooooo.... Strength on Display for top 10 too? :3 Jkjk. Unless..?

“No, I think I’d rather stay here. Maybe have you get caught, maybe go, oh, I don’t know, home. You know, where I was living peacefully without doing anything to rouse a psychopathic reptile into kidnapping my legally claimed Omegas and then myself,” Mumbo snapped. The dragon gritted his teeth, contemplating whether or not he should attempt to fight his way out of here. On one hand, he was chomping at the bits to get home and was ready to go through any means to do so. On the other hand, Doc had managed to beat him in a fight when he was at full strength. Chances are, Doc could easily beat him in a fight now that he was starving and sickly skin and bones. But the temptation still stalked around in his mind, never letting itself get pushed to the back of his thoughts as he engaged in a staring contest with Doc.

“Luckily for us, you don’t get a say in this decision,” Doc hissed, turning away to gather the chains into smaller, more portable bunches. For a moment, Mumbo was feeling his inner teenage pride inflate at the simple accomplishment of winning a staring contest. That was before he realized Doc had his back turned to him.

“Why even ask, then?” Mumbo seethed. He ran his tongue over his sharpened fangs, a malicious grin ghosting his face as a plan built up in his mind delectably.

“Because,” Doc stated simply. “I’m reminding you of the ‘good times’ where you actually had a say in life. I’m reminding you of the life you’ll never live again, because as an Omega, you’ll never have rights, just as it should’ve been all along,” Doc went to turn to face Mumbo again, but felt the points of sharp claws pressed deliberately on integral veins running along his neck. Alpha pheromones reeked strongly and proudly around him as warm breath invaded his neck, sending shivers crawling along his spine. Doc tried to move his head, but the claws held firm.

“The audacity to call me an Omega,” Mumbo’s terrifyingly calm—almost monotone—voice spoke directly into Doc’s right ear, causing the reptilian to vaguely suppress a flinch. The drastic change in the dragon’s mood and the swift table-flip of the power in the two’s dynamic had both Alphas holding their breaths. A claw, assumedly one of Mumbo’s wings, shifted the collar of Doc’s lab coat further down his shoulder. Sharp fangs hovered over the junction between Doc’s neck and shoulder, where an Omega’s mating gland would be. Alphas didn’t have mating glands, only scent glands further up their neck, so to be bitten there brought disgrace upon yourself, and the automatic title and position of social power that was gained with presenting as an Alpha.

A deep growl elicited from Doc as the fangs continued taunting him. The reptilian stiffened, flexing his robotic fingers. A dark smirk formed on his face, something Mumbo couldn’t see.

”Silly little Omega,” Doc’s gravelly voice filled Mumbo’s ears, and like a flash of light, Doc wrenched himself away from Mumbo’s talons and flung the dragon at the wall with his robotic arm. Mumbo hit the wall with a sickening crack, immediately falling unconscious, and a sick grin graced Doc’s face.

That was, until he felt a small trickle flowing down the shape of his collarbone, and sharp pain where Mumbo’s fangs had been hovering.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idk if this chapter will show up or not. Ao3 keeps glitching to where whenever I start a new chapter, it’s upload date auto changes to the day this book was posted. It’s really grinding my gears.


	8. Emergency Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iskall, Impulse, and the Betas have a discussion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BACK TO BACK UPDATES BABY.
> 
> Also, there is a bit of a reference/Easter egg in this chapter. I’ve taken y’all’s advice; there won’t be any appearances of people outside the Hermits for any major character roles. But, I hope it’s okay with you guys, some people outside the HermitCraft crew might make appearances or get referenced in here just because I needed names to fill and didn’t feel like making my own characters. Aria is the only OC exception.

Iskall carded a hand through his hair, shuffling through multiple newspapers and printed papers laid out on his desk. His bedroom was hidden away from the rest in the Jumbo estate, being connected to the foyer rather than the main body of the house. His bedroom was large, and had three parts; the obvious bedroom part, a full bathroom, and a study. It wasn’t too obvious at first, with his domain hugging the dining room and his study sharing a common window with the dining room, but the rest of it was secluded. One might question why the Omegas weren’t given word of the second Alpha’s room at the beginning of their new lives, but it would be answered in vain; there was no blatant reason. One could guess it was Mumbo’s underlying instincts to only allow his Omegas to come to him if there was a problem, and not introduce a second Alpha that could potentially pose a threat. But they couldn’t really ask him at the moment. Currently, Impulse had been swapping from the common living room couches (which were extremely comfortable, in his opinion) and Iskall’s bed. The latter Alpha had been hesitant to house the stranger at first, but considering he had helped the Omegas escape—and was definitely not going to be let sleep in Mumbo’s room—Iskall made the small sacrifice. And it wasn’t much at all; the two became very invested in each other’s work quite quickly, sharing common ideas and ground, and bonding over such. It was why the two Alphas were gathered in the study.

False and Cleo were with them as well, Iskall having decided to not disturb any of the Omegas as it was still decently early; maybe 8:45. The six had began to slowly and slowly sleep in later, finding it difficult to get out of bed every morning that passed. It was heartbreaking to watch from an outside point of view, and it made Iskall’s underlying instincts urge him to comfort the Omegas. But he couldn’t. Not when their Alpha was God-knows where, and certainly not when two of them don’t even know the truth.

”So what’s up? Have we gotten any more information?” False’s voice softly broke the silence, taking the question from the three’s heads and putting it into words. Iskall continued carding his hands through his hair, bouncing his right knee. He stared down at a printed picture of an email, and read through it once before singling it out from the stack and turning it, pushing towards them. “I’ve recently been contacted by the sergeant who has been on Doc’s case since the first kidnappings in this area, Sergeant Blade. He says that he and his force has been monitoring the abandoned mall building since we rescued the Omegas, uh yes, I did contact the police despite Mumbo not wanting me to, I’ll talk more on that later. Anyways, he said that there have been hidden cameras and sensors placed by every door he and his crew could locate, and none of them have been triggered at all. There is high suspicion that Doc is still inside that basement complex, therefore meaning high chances of Mumbo being there still, too,”

There was a beat of silence.

”And they’re only telling us this now?!” Cleo snapped. “Have they checked the building yet?”

Iskall scratches at the back of his neck, his temperature rising at the incoming onslaught of anger from the Beta. Her scent was already souring, her short temper flaring. “N-no. No they haven’t,” At the intense burst of fury spoiling her scent, he held his hands up. “They’ve experienced legal hindrances. Apparently, there’s an owner of the plot in which the abandoned site is on, and they aren’t allowing the police to search the area. Probably an ally of Doc’s, but they can’t approach with force,”

Cleo scoffed, False and Impulse visibly wincing at the potency of her fury. “It’s been two weeks, Iskall. _Two weeks_ , since Mumbo’s kidnapping, and you’re telling me they haven’t checked the tunnels yet despite having leads that they’re probably still there?!”

Iskall shepherded the papers back into one neat stack, setting them aside on his desk. “Yes, that... that is what I’m telling you,”

”This is insane! Absolutely ridiculous!”

”Cleo... Cleo please calm down...” False whispered, and Iskall could tell Impulse was naturally trying to release calming pheromones; he, too, even tried, but he knew it wouldn’t work. Not with Cleo.

”Calm down? Calm down?!” Her voice threatened to raise into a yelling rampage, and Iskall wanted nothing more than the Omegas to stay asleep, but they wouldn’t with Cleo’s yelling

”The Omegas will wake up..—“

”It’s been two weeks! Two weeks since Mumbo’s capture, two weeks of him hopeless in the grasp of that filthy wretch—two weeks of us having the ability to do something yet not doing it!” She barked. “And you want me to calm down?! Nuh uh, nope, not happening sweetheart,” Cleo was seething. It didn’t take a rocket science engineer to know that. Iskall went to hopelessly attempt to calm her again, but he was interrupted. In fact, they were all broken from their focus when a choked gasp broke the silence beyond the study and bedroom doors. They all whipped around to have their gazes lock onto the silky, silvery locks, golden brown feathers, and bright, terrified, deep azure eyes of the avian Omega. False jumped up, and Iskall opened his mouth to provide an explanation, but Wels was already gone from the doorway.

Dread, guilt, and shame invaded the air of the room as their scents left sour trails of evidence to their emotions. False was already chasing after Wels, but Iskall was frozen in shock. Two weeks of successfully keeping the secret, just for it to end like this.   
  


Today just wasn’t their day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This wasn’t beta read, I was exhausted.

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be posted a long time ago but stuff came up and I wasn’t able to really focus on developing this. But it’s out now and I hope y’all are hyped!


End file.
